Northern Health ‘making progress’ with ER closures in northeast B.C., minister says

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The provincial government says Northern Health is “making progress” in reducing the number of hospital closures in the region. 

During the July 14th board of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) directors, a letter from the Ministry of Health on emergency room closures was reviewed. 

So far in 2025, there have been 20 emergency room closures across the Peace River region, totalling more than 366 hours, including one closure this month on July 16th in Dawson Creek. 

The regional district has been raising concerns about the closures for more than a year, and has been sending letters from November 2024 to January 2025. 

The board also requested a meeting with the minister in Victoria during in March. 

In replying to the board’s letters, Minister of Health Josie Osborne stated staffing shortages were the primary reason behind emergency room closures. 

“The temporary closure of an [emergency room] is an absolute last resort when there are no healthcare providers who can manage a patient who arrives at the healthcare facility extremely unwell and who needs hands-on care,” Osborne said. 

“In this event, the only way to manage such a patient in the safest way possible is to quickly divert them to the closest hospital capable of managing those types of issues.”

The minister explained healthcare worker recruitment was a priority for Northern Health, and noted the health authority was “making progress” in reducing the “length and number of service interruptions.”

“I share your concerns about emergency department service interruptions and want to assure the PRRD that every effort is made to avoid them before the difficult decision is made to have a temporary unplanned closure of an ED and divert patients to other available sites within the region,” Osborne said. 

In answer to the PRRD’s concerns about informing the public of emergency room closures, Osborne stated the health authority advises BC Emergency Health Services of diversions, and directed the PRRD to connect with Northern Health for more information.

To read the full letter sent to the PRRD on June 25th, see below.